Dispensing tube cap



mm79g Nov. 5, 1935. T. ROMANO DISPSING TUBE CAP Filed Oct. 9; 1933 f [zzmrzar Ma W Palntd Nov. 5,19 5

STATES UNiTE PATENT OFFICE 7 Clzlms.

Tire preent invention concerne collapsible tubes 01 the type used to contain tcoth-paste, coid-cream, and the iike. The invention is so constructed tiret by the simple application of.

5 pressure to the body of the tube en opening is provided thr'ough which a. ribbon of the contents is ejected, and by the simple withdrwal of pressure the tube is caused to close and to sever cieanly the ribbon et ejected contents from the mess 10 within the tube et the p0intcf omission. Thus.

emission where a, portion or residue et the ejected contents con eecumulete. Ihe substence .is transmitted directiv irons the unclivided mess within the tube end valve stem to the intenied surface,oi e. tooth-brush, for instance. one bond is necessery for the management of the tube from the moment it is nickeci un until it is repleced on the shelt; tire otiner hendis ree for the manipulation et the surface to which the ribbon et contents is to be tre.nstted. Tims the tube is onened economicel. convenient, endhyeienc thon env other yet deviseci.

Thedevice mey be exemineri in the accompanying cirnnflng: Fig. 1 in e. cross-sectionel view of the device assembied in its closed position in the upper part et n coilepsible tube; Fig. 2

[S e. verticnl crosssectionei view of the cesing;

r v Fig. 3 is e. vertical cross-seetionel view of the vulve stem.

' M invention teintes n rlisnenslnn tube comprising e flexible body (il bovine s conicsi end 40 snd provided with e neck hevine therein en exiei bore or beering opening (i2), entendirig there= through, and seici neck being out with an euternel or maie threeci (3); e tubuler veive stem 3) is slitiabiy mounted within the benrlng opening et the efore-mentioned neck (2) in iine with the long anis cf seid dispensing tube, ssiol veive stem (il) being open et the inner end and closed et the outer and and loeing norteci on theside adjocent to the ciosed encl thereofi es et (5) to permit eJection et the contentsof seid dispensing tube,

seid closed enci iaeing mnrkeci with un arrow showmg the position of seid port (5), and saisi valve stein (fl) heving externafly en annuler fiange or coller (6); and the outer enci et ssid vulve stem (t) being iuteroliy encloseci in e cylindricsi cep Oniy and ciosed in e menner more or casing ('I), said cap having a conical end and! a suitable thread to mesh and hold securely to sa id dispensing tube (l), said cap (1) heving en open bearing (8) in the top of same in line with said open bearing in neck (2) of said tube (i) 6 when assembled, said vop having interneily an annuler stop or shoulder (9) as"shown; and a spring (ll) seated on said shouldet (6) of said valve stem (4) and. also on the annuler step (9) on said cap; the afor-mentioned ccnical end on m said c'yIindrIcal cap (7) forming a cutting edge (H), and the valve stem (A) having a. charnieron its internal cylindrical surface at its open enci to provide a. cutting edge (i2) The device ls s0 constructed that the closd end of the valve stem is normaliy flush with the ton et the encloslng casing; thst the bearing open ings siidabiy mountlng the valve stem fit snugiy the tubulnr surfece thereoi; and that the ennui la.r fienge on the valve stem makes slicing con- 30 tact with the internal cylindrical well et me casing below the bearing opening thereln; the spring serving to mainte-in the valve stem in its normal position by m'eens ot the said flange, which holds it sgeinst the neck of the tube; the swing 5 being compressed egeinst the step in the cesing by menus of the flnnge when pressure is exerted on the exterior et the tube, thus cousins the con tents of the tube te force the valve stem outwerci into its open position, the expansion of the swing s upon release of pressure nutomaticeliy retreeting the valve stem to closecl position.

The close contact et the lower cylindricei Wnii of the valve stem with the enciosing oeering opening in the neck of the tube prevents eny nor= g;5 tien et the contents tram renching the fienge and. spring et eny time. The annuler coller or fienge necessarily flts snugiy sgeinst the enclosing cyiin= dricai wall of the cep or cesing; otherwise tire spring might oecome je, :u:2 betWeen the flenge 49 and. the wall. A very importent tenture otthis invention is the conicei sienne et the top or outer open end et the cesing, which not only provides e cutting edge to sever the ejected contents from the mess within et the point of omission hut aise eliminetes e. horizontal surface adjacent to the open port where the ernitted contents or a. portion thereoi would stick or clins, necessiteting unssniter wiping and inconvenient clenning.

The casing, swing, and vulve stem ben de= tochable and separate front euch other cnn tee replaced if demaged. Moreover, there is no inte rior chambar where e. smell portion et the con tents con be sepersteci from the main boots? et the mass within the tube; the interiors of the tube and valve stem are in direct communication upon the .outer end of said neck, the open end being inserted within said neck and communicating directly with the interior of the flexible body; a cylindrical casing having an axlal bore consisting of -two cylindrical sections of unequal diameter, forming an annular step at the Juneture thereof, said casing being detachably imposed upon the exterior of said neck at the end of the larger bore, and the smalier bore extending through the outer end of said casing being diametrically equal to and in alignment with the bearing opening in the neck of the tube and laterally enclosing the upper surface of said valve stem to the closed end thereof, thus furnishing a closure to the port therein and forming an additional bearing opening slidably mounting said valve stem, with the periphery of the external flange making sliding contact With the internal cylindrical wall of larger bore within said casing; and a coil spring detachably seated on the step in said casing and on the fiange or collar on said valve stem, said valve stem being caused to move longitudinally outward in the bearing opening by pressure on the exterior of the tube a sufiicient distance to expose the port beyond the outer end of the casing and being limited in its movement by the step in said casing and by said spring, said spring being compressed against said stem by mens of the fiange, and said port being auto-' matically closed when upon release of pressure the valve stem is by the expansion of the spring agalnst the fiange drawn inward to its normal position.

2. A dispensing tube comprising a flexible body having a conical end provided with a neck, said neck having a bearing opening therethrough; a tubular valve stem slidable within the same and resting on the outer end thereof by means of an external annular fiange intermediate its length, said valve stem being closed at its exterior end and open at the end inserted in said neck; 2. bollow cylindrical cap, said cap having externally a conically shaped end and having internally at the same end a bearing opening, and said cap being held securely to the neck of the tube at its opposite end by means of threads, being at that end of suflicntly enlarged diameter t enclose the said neck; and a detachable coil spring providing for autoinatic closing of said tube, said spring being enclosed within the larger internal circumference of said casing between the flange on said valve stem and an annular step within the casing formed by the juncture of. the two cylindrical sections of unequal bore; said conicdlly shaped end being especially designed to provide a cutting edge and to eliminate a horizontal surface adjacent to the point of emlssion, said cutting edge being an automatic tool which is caused to function by the spring operated closing of said valve stem.

3. A dispensing tube comprising a flexible body having a conical end provided with a neck, said neck having a bearing opening therethrougn; a tubular valve stem slidable within the same and seated thereon bvmeans of an external annular flange intermediate its length, said valve stem being open at the end inserted in said neck and closed at its exterior end and having a port adjacent to its closed end; a hollow cylindrical casing imposed externally upon said neck by means of threads and laterally enclosing said valve 1 stem; and a coil spring enclosed within said casing, said spring being detachably seated upon the flange on said valve stem and upon an aunular step in said casing formed by the abrupt narrowing of the cylindrical interior thereof to create a bearing opening in line with and equal in diameter to the bearing opening in said neck, thus providing an additional slidable mounting for the valve stem and a closur e for the port therein; said neck, valve stem, casing, and spring being so constructed and so assembled that the closed end of the valve stem shall be flush with the top of the casing when the valve stem is in normal position, being maintained in said normal position by reason of the action of the spring, and being caused to slide outward by pressure on the body of the tube, compressing the spring' and exposing the port beyond the open outer end of the casing, and being retracted upon release of pressure by the automatic action of the spring. 4. A dispensing tube comprising a flexible body having a conical end provided with a neck, said neck having a bearing opening therethrough, a tubular valve stem slidable wi thin the same, a hollow cylindrical cap having externally a conlcally shaped end and laterally enclosing said valve stem, and a coil spring enclosed within said cap and detachably seated on an annular flange or collar on the external cylindrical surface of said valve stem and on an annular step (0 on the intemal cylindrical surface of the herein mentioned cylindrical cap of suitabie strength to close said valve; said spring being se situated that the outward movement of said valve stem, caused by pressure on the body of the tube, enables said annular collar to compress said spring against said annular step, said valve stem being automaticafly returned to and secured in its closed position when the withdrawal of pressure tram the body of the tube permits said spring to expand and retract said annular collar against the neck of said tube. v 5. A dispensing device comprising in combination 9. collapsible tubular body provided with a relatively rigid, externally threaded neck, said neck having an axial bore or bearing opening extending therethrough and communicating directly with the interior of the tubular body, a cylindrical cap or casing having an axial bore consisting of two cylindrical sections of unequal 00 diameter, forming an annular step or shoulder at the juncture thereof, the end of the larger bore being threadedly connected to the neck of the tube, and the smalIer bore extending through the outer end of the cap being 01 substantiafly the same diameter as the bearing opening through the neck and in alignment therewith, forming an additional bearing, a tubular valve stem shdabiy mounted within the bearing openings through the neck and cap, the inner end of said valve stem being open and the outer end closed, said valve stem having a. discharge port in its side wall adjacent the closed outer end. sail port being opened when the valve stem la cxtended outwardly or the cap. and closed by 76 e,ess,vos

ternai annuler e or collar inteedlate its length, whdch rests on the outer end of the tube neck when the valve stem is in retrscted position and the periphery of which makes sllding contact Wlth the cyllndrlcai bore of larges diameter in the cap. and a; coil spring enclosed withln the larger bore of the cap betvveen said shouldex or step wlthin said cap and saicl nge or coller on saki valve stem, said coil spring Icelng compressed by the outwerci moveznent of sale! valve stem due to externe]! pressure en thc vvslis of the collapsible tube, and autcmntcally retracting seld valve stem to its inner limite ou relense o pressure;

6. A collapslble tube provided with a. neck, n

' hollow, cylindrlcel vnlve stem slideble Withii seid neck, and resting theredn by menus et en enter na1 annuler enge intermerlinte lts lengtn, a cylindricsl cep or caslng vvith open ends enclos vin said valve stem verticaily, seid swing heving en axis] bore consistlng of tvvo cylindribnl sections of unequal diameter fog an annuler step or shoulder et the juncture thereof, said casing being securely imposed entemally upon sald neck by means of threads et the end of the large diameter and bains at its outer or maller end of equal dlameter with sald neck to fit snugly the upper cylindrlcal surface of the valve stem, and a coi! spring providlng an automatic closure for the tube enclod withln the wider cslindflcal surface of the casing between the annuler step lormed at the junctlon or the unequal cylindrical sections and the flange on the exterior of the valve stem; said valve stem having an open and inserted in the neck of the tube, a closed end 5 normally flush wlth the outer end of the casing.

and a delivery port adjacent to 'said closed end normally sealed by the enclosing casing, and also having an internal chamler at its open and forming a cutting edge facilitatlng the autometic rem turn or inward movement of said valve stem to its sealed position; saki valve stem being caused to slide lnto its open position wlth the port out werd of the cesing by application of pressure-te the extezior of the tube. 15 7. A collapsible tube provided with a neck hav ng a. canins with open encis securely afixed ex ternally thereto lcy meens oi tlueads, and having a hollovv valve stem enclosed verticnlly by snld neck and said cnsing and slid&ble longltudinefiv vvithtn the 5eme, said valve stem hsving en open end insezted wlthin saicl neck and hnvlng its other end clcsed and having a port adjacent to seid closed end, and said caslng having enclosed there- 'in a spring to provide an automatic closure. said 25 caslng, spring, and valve stem being so arrsnged as to elimlnate any and. all internal chnmbers other than the undivided interiors of said tube and said valve stem. and said casing havlng a conical top eliminaflng a horizontal surface adw jacent to the point 01 emlssion and providing theretor a. cutting edge caused to operate by the automatic closure of said valve stem.

THEODRE R00. 

